Guitarist Returns With First Solo Album in 18 Years

It’s been 18 years since Teja Gerken released a solo album, but he’s recently returned with a new one. The 53-year-old fingerstyle guitar player’s new project is titled Test of Time, and it’s described as being a collection “of pieces that he has played on stage, but never committed to a recording.”

“Test of Time is San Francisco Bay Area guitarist Teja Gerken’s third solo album,” the album’s official description continues. “Featuring originals, tunes from the Celtic repertoire, a jazz standard, and a classical piece, Test of Time represents Teja’s fingerstyle guitar playing the way a typical performance does. Playing six-string, 12-string, and resonator guitars, Teja applies his keen melodic awareness, experimental spirit, and masterful technique to a set of road-tested solo guitar favorites.”

At just a couple of months old, the album has already found some critical success. In his review of the album for AcousticGuitar.com, journalist Blair Jackson wrote, “All in all, Test of Time is a beautiful and deeply satisfying album that definitely lives up to its title, whether you’re mostly into technique and guitars, or just a casual fan (like me).”

Speaking to The Mercury News about his style of musicianship, Gerken explained, “It’s like what my wife tells people when she tries to describe what I do. It’s a little bit of classical, a little bit of jazz, a little bit of traditional folk. What comes out on guitar is a blend of these musical things that I’m drawn to, where I come from.”

Gerken later admitted, “This is not the kind of music where there are big stars,” then added, “Some of my heroes have become friends, people I look up to. It’s not like some pop star kind of thing where they’re unapproachable. You can meet your heroes.”